Ragweed near full bloom in Western Pa. as fall approaches
Blessings to each and every one with allergies. And tissues. And nasal spray. And eye drops. And neti pots. And Claritin or Zyrtec or Allegra. Or if sleep is desired, Benadryl. “‘Tis the season,” said Dr. Thomas Mertz of Allergy and Asthma Associates of Pittsburgh, a practice based in Harmar....
Feds working to thwart southern invasion of New World Screwworm
The latest threat to the southern border has wings and lays eggs that hatch into flesh-eating maggots that can kill people. At least five Central Americans have died from myiasis of the New World Screwworm this year. Myiasis is the term used when maggots infest human flesh and cause an...
VA shuffles top leaders in Pittsburgh as agency upends ‘status quo’
The top two officials overseeing care for Pittsburgh-area veterans have been pulled from their posts and reassigned. Donald Koenig is out as director of the Pittsburgh VA, a role he took in 2019 after more than two decades as a private health care executive. His tenure stopped a carousel of...
5th person dies after a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak sickens dozens in New York City
NEW YORK — A fifth person has died in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City, health officials said. The outbreak in Central Harlem has sickened dozens since it began in late July and the latest death was announced late Monday night. Fourteen people were hospitalized as...
Allegheny County Health Department confirms first human West Nile case of year
A Plum resident’s fever, malaise and digestive trouble since mid-July was confirmed to be the first human case of West Nile this year, according to the Allegheny County Health Department. The person’s name and gender were not released, but the health department said the person is recovering at home. West...
RFK Jr. resurrects decades-old vaccine safety task force
The Department of Health and Human Services is resurrecting a decades-old vaccine safety task force, the agency announced Thursday. It’s a full-circle moment for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who claimed after the 2016 election that President Donald Trump had asked him to chair a “commission on vaccine safety...
Allegheny County steps up pollution checks after Clairton blast
Regulators are temporarily stepping up pollution monitoring in the Mon Valley after a deadly explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works on Monday sparked worry about the release of toxic gases. The Allegheny County Health Department announced Thursday it’s deploying two air quality monitoring vans provided by the Pennsylvania Department...
Costco forgoes sale of abortion pill, emboldening religious groups
Costco Wholesale Corp. has decided not to dispense the abortion pill mifepristone at its more than 500 pharmacy locations, a decision hailed by a group of faith-based activists who urged the retailer to avoid selling the drug. Costco said in a statement that it hasn’t seen consumer demand for the...
Over-the-counter soap recalled for ‘life-threatening sepsis’ risk
Over a dozen soap and sanitizer products are being recalled because they could cause health complications. DermaKleen lotion soaps, Perigiene antiseptic and KleenFoam soap are among those recalled, according to the Friday announcement by DermaRite Industries LLC, People reported. The products were sold nationwide and in Puerto Rico, the manufacturer...
New director takes charge at UPMC Hillman with vision for community-based care
The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center has appointed a new director who pledges to expand access to cancer care close to home, despite potential threats to medical research funding. Dr. John Byrd, a survivor of prostate cancer himself, said his goal as director is develop clinical trials in Pennsylvania, parts of...
What are ‘gas station drugs’? Medical professionals warn of addictive effects
Easily found on store shelves, the small blue bottle labeled “Feel Free” is sparking concern as doctors and social media users warn about the dangers of so-called “gas station drugs.” Manufacturer Botanic Tonics touts the Feel Free drink as a blend of “plant ingredients,” claiming it provides an energy boost...
Former Trump surgeon general warns RFK Jr.’s vaccine cuts will ‘cost lives’
A member of President’s Trump first administration has come forward to criticize Department of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent decision to cut vaccine research. Jerome Adams, who served as surgeon general during Trump’s first term, warned in a post on X that Kennedy’s decision will “cost lives.” “I’ve tried...
VA voids union contracts for 400K workers, prompting backlash
The Department of Veterans Affairs is voiding union contracts for more than 400,000 workers, part of the Trump administration’s bid to weaken organized labor in the federal bureaucracy. Affected employees include doctors, nurses, benefits administrators — everyone at the VA except for roughly 4,000 police officers, firefighters and security guards....
‘We’re trying to disrupt an industry’: Mark Cuban touts pharmacy deal with Giant EagleVideo
Mark Cuban, the billionaire and Western Pennsylvania native now knee-deep in the pharmaceutical industry, offered strong words Wednesday toward the pharmacy benefit managers some say are bleeding drugstores dry. “Get rid of them,” Cuban said at Market District in Robinson after announcing a partnership between his company, Cost Plus Drugs,...
‘The public in jeopardy’: Experts react to RFK Jr.’s cancellation of vaccine research
Pittsburgh-area science experts are warning that the public’s health could be in jeopardy after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the sudden cancellation of 22 federally funded vaccine projects. The halted projects focused on next-generation vaccines designed to generate stronger and longer-lasting immune responses. On Tuesday, the Department of...
Study says ChatGPT giving teens dangerous advice on drugs, alcohol and suicide
ChatGPT will tell 13-year-olds how to get drunk and high, instruct them on how to conceal eating disorders and even compose a heartbreaking suicide letter to their parents if asked, according to new research from a watchdog group. The Associated Press reviewed more than three hours of interactions between ChatGPT...
RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for vaccine development
WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses such as covid-19 and the flu. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a statement Tuesday that 22 projects, totaling $500 million, to develop vaccines...
Giant Eagle partners with billionaire Mark Cuban to slash some drug prices
Billionaire Mark Cuban’s drug company has partnered with Giant Eagle pharmacies to make certain medications more affordable. As of Friday, customers across Giant Eagle’s five-state pharmacy network may be able to fill their prescriptions for less money through Cost Plus Drug’s Team Cuban Card. The company buys drugs directly from...
Raw milk sickens 21 people in Florida including 6 children
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Six children are among 21 people who have E. coli or campylobacter infections after consuming raw milk from a farm in Florida, public health officials said. Seven people have been hospitalized, and at least two of them are suffering severe complications, the Florida Department of Health said...
The world nearly beat polio. But fake records, an imperfect vaccine and missteps aided its comeback
KARACHI, Pakistan — For the past decade, Sughra Ayaz has traveled door to door in southeastern Pakistan, pleading with parents to allow children to be vaccinated against polio as part of a global campaign to wipe out the paralytic disease. She hears their demands and fears. Some are practical —...
Got the sniffles? Here’s what to know about summer colds, covid-19 and more
Summer heat, outdoor fun … and cold and flu symptoms? The three may not go together in many people’s minds: partly owing to common myths about germs and partly because many viruses really do have lower activity levels in the summer. But it is possible to get the sniffles —...
500K in Pa. face soaring health care premiums as insurers seek rate hikes
Nearly 500,000 Pennsylvanians could see their health insurance premiums spike next year. Insurers selling coverage on the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Pennie, want to raise premiums by an average of 19% for customers who buy their own insurance and 13% for small businesses, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department announced Friday....
Deluzio demands answers on VA town hall cancellations
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio is investigating whether the Trump administration axed a regional town hall tour for veterans to obscure the impact of staff cuts on their health care. In a letter sent Thursday to Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, Deluzio demanded answers as to who called off the events...
Childhood vaccination rates fall again as exemptions set another record
NEW YORK — U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Thursday. The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.1%, up from 3.7% the year before. It’s the third...
How much will that procedure cost? You might not find the full answer at Independence Health, report claims
All five of Independence Health System’s hospitals failed this year to fully comply with federal rules ordering them to post prices online for their services, according to a report released this week by an advocacy group. The Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Health Access Network found Independence’s hospitals — Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick,...
